Monthly Archives: September 2016

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“World’s Best” is one of the most popular Norwegian cakes, and for good reason; it is – as the name indicates – the World’s Best Cake! Nope, there will be no arguing here, you will just have to try it. If my memory does not fail me it was declared Norway’s National Cake some years ago.

The recipe is not difficult, really, but there are several steps that can be somewhat troublesome, and the whole cake is definitely time consuming. But oh my – it is worth it!

I’ve baked this cake for Danes on a few occasions – and they are also beside themselves with excitement and praise. As it just happens, I am unable to find a decent pastry cream (or vanilla cream, or maybe we should call it custard cream?) here in Denmark, thus I have started making it from scratch. And guess what? The World’s Best is even better with the home made pastry cream! I will be honest here, and tell you that this is one of the steps that can go wrong. It might curdle, but it can be saved by adding a tablespoon whipping cream and whip it real hard until it’s a smooth cream.

World's Best Cake

Pastry Cream Ingredients and method:

You might be well advised to make the pastry cream the day before you need it in your cake, so it can sit in the fridge overnight.

Ingredients

500 ml cream

1 vanilla bean

25 g cornstarch

125 g sugar

4 egg yolks (refrigerate the whites for later use)

Directions

Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and put both the bean and the seeds in a pot together with the cream. Bring to the boil and remove pot from the heat and remove the two halves of vanilla bean.

Put the egg yolks, cornstarch and sugar in a bowl and quickly whisk to combine it.

Pour the hot vanilla cream little by little in the egg mixture while you whisk. Pour it all back into the pot.

Heat again, stirring constantly, but do not let the mixture boil or it may curdle. The pastry cream thickens as it gets warmer.

When the cream has thickened, remove the pot from the heat and let it cool. Stir occasionally. When room temperature has been reached, put the cream in the fridge overnight. Cover with cling film so you don’t get skin on it.

Should it curdle, it can be saved by adding a tablespoon whipping cream and whip it real hard until it’s a smooth cream.

Sponge, ingredients and method:

Now that we have the pastry cream out of the way, let’s look into the cake. Start by setting your oven at 175 ° C.

Ingredients

Smear thinly and as evenly as possible

150 g butter

125 g sugar

150g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

5 egg yolks (save whites)

5 tablespoons milk

Directions

Whisk butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour, baking powder, egg yolks and milk and stir to combine.

Cover roasting pan with parchment paper and spread the dough over. This is easier if you get help to keep the parchment paper in place. It’s sticky and needs to be smeared evenly and thinly on the parchment paper. It is going to look totally weird, but fear not – the sponge is supposed to be real thin.

Meringue, ingredients and method

Ingredients

5 egg whites

180 g sugar

100 g chopped almonds

Directions

Whisk the egg whites until half stiff. Add sugar in a thin stream while you whisk until stiff and glossy.

Spread the meringue over the sponge, and sprinkle on the almonds.

Bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes. Leave it on the tray while it cools.

Pastry cream filling, ingredients and method:

Ingredients

The pastry cream that you made yesterday

200 ml double cream

2 teaspoons vanilla sugar

Directions

Whip the cream and vanilla sugar in a bowl until stiff. Add the pastry cream and gently combine. Refrigerate for an hour or two before putting it on the cake. If you skip this step the filling may be too runny.

If you chose to go with the store bought pastry cream, then you’ll need aprox 500 ml.

Rectangular cake

Now you have all the parts all ready, all that remains now is to assemble the cake.

Cut the cake into two equal portions and place one portion on a cake platter, meringue side up.

Spread the filling over the meringue with a spatula, and then gently place the other half of the cake on top, also with the meringue side up. (You now should have a rectangular cake with these layers from the bottom up; sponge, meringue, cream filling, sponge, meringue.)

Vel bekomme!

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My nose and forehead was cold from being pressed up against the aircraft window as I was trying to catch a peak of what would be my home for the summer. I was 22 and held a freshly pressed diploma in my hand. And I had just landed my first real job, yanno, the full time job that was actually relevant to the letters on my diploma.

I wasn’t just excited to get a relevant job that quick, but at such an exotic location! I knew practically nothing about the place. I knew no one who had even been there. All I knew was that it was a Company town in the Arctic, and that they mined for coal. Sure I knew the dry facts, on how it was “No man’s land” or Treaty country – governed by Norway. I knew there were Norwegians and Russians and Polar bears. But I had no clue what I was in for, didn’t know anything about work and life in the northernmost town in the world, Longyearbyen. I thought I had been quite daring

I strained my eyes to see through the thick layer of clouds that surrounded the plane as we had started our descend to Svalbard Airport, Longyearbyen. Finally a strange landscape revealed itself to me as we broke through the clouds. It was indeed a barren land. An inhospitable facade. My nervousness increased as I asked myself, “What the hell is this place? How am I going to survive this cold, sterile, grey land?”

My new boss was chirping away about this mountain, and that fjord and coalmines and tourists and historic facts as we drove from the airport towards town. As we drove past the industrial area with rusty old rinky-dink containers and equipment lying about, my concern grew. What in the hell was this place? I remember thinking that I was a complete dingbat to accept a job up here without doing any research first. Surely this was information that I should have sought out on beforehand?

Boss lady was smiling and talking very enthusiastically as we approached town, giving me a guided tour. I felt my brain shutting down from the information overload provided by boss lady and all the visual impressions. I tried my damndest to respond to boss lady in a polite and positive manner, I really didn’t want to give her the impression that I was a complete nutter, however that was what I obviously was.

As I stepped out of the car and finally faced the view I had had my back against most of the way into town – or there had been stuff in the way blocking my view, that is when it hit me – and it hit me hard. I fell in love with Svalbard, with Longyearbyen. I finally understood boss lady’s enthusiasm. I got it. I really got it.

Have you ever been to Starbucks in the fall? Ever noticed that they sell Pumpkin Spice Latte and it smells divine? It makes me salivate, fer sure! The Karate Kid has hit each and every Starbucks in Copenhagen asking if they sell pumpkin spice syrup, and they don’t. I think the Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks are so sickening sweet that I won’t even go near them. And that is why I figured that there has to be a way to make Pumpkin Spice at home, so you can add to your latte – separate from the syrup! That way, the Kid can have his sickening sweet Pumpkin Spiced Latte, and I can have mine without the sickening part, but still get the flavor. Yup, I’m a super smart cookie!

So, here is the recipe for the spice mix:

2 tsp ground ginger

1,5 tsp ground allspice

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1,5 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp ground nutmeg

Mix it all together and put in a jar with a tight lid.

Then what you do, is simply add ¼ teaspoon of the spice mix to your latte, along with the normal amount of syrup, sugar or sweetener that you always use – or leave the sweet stuff out of it if that is what you prefer and you still get the Pumpkin Spice taste that we are all so passionate about!

I don’t care how expensive the capsules for your espresso machine are – I still saved you a whole bunch of money now that you don’t have to run to Starbucks every time you crave a Pumpkin Spiced Latte. Wasn’t that generous of me? You are welcome!

The cool thing here is that now you also have a jar of readymade pumpkin spice to put in your fall baking. Yaaaaaaay! Knowing me, and the Kid, Imma have to make the spice mix several times before fall is over.

Like this:

“A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” ― Francis of Assisi

I would like to thank Michelle Mac(Southern by design) for thinking of me as a prospective participant in the «3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge». Michelle not only masters the art of poetry, but also writes really good thought provoking personal pieces. She has also been known to snap some really good photos! So don’t hang around here – go check her out!

Like this:

“If you’re going to have a cabin fever, have a big cabin, you know.” – Joe Cocker

The Karate Kid on his way to the cabin

Looks small underneath the mountain

Glorious view

Just a little hike

Please excuse the clutter behind the outhouse, it was the maid’s day off…

I miss this place!

Not fancy, but comfortable

Not my fav color on the furniture, but they worked just fine

What is better than being IN the cabin? Playing outside of it!

Yes, we are still on Svalbard, and still in September 2006. We sold the cabin before we moved to the mainland, and I miss both Longyearbyen and the cabin immensly. I am not going to pretend that this is a huge, fancy cabin, but it was perfect for us. Also not a huge quest to get there, just perfect for a five-year-old to hike to.

True dat!

Yup!

I would like to thank Michelle Mac(Southern by design) for thinking of me as a prospective participant in the «3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge». Michelle not only masters the art of poetry, but also writes really good thought provoking personal pieces. She has also been known to snap some really good photos! So don’t hang around here – go check her out!

In my post a couple of days ago, I presented the world’s northernmost Lenin statue (see this post: Lenin’s Arctic View), and more importantly – his views. Now what exactly is he looking at? Yes, a glacier. This glacier, Nordenskiöldbreen, is located at Svalbard at the bottom of Billefjorden. It is named after a Finnish and Swedish baron, geologist, mineralogist and Arctic Explorer; Nils Adolf Erik Nordenskiöld (1832 – 1901). He led the Vega expedition along the northern coast of Eurasia in 1878-1879 – which was the first complete crossing of the Northeast Passage.

Now, there are far more impressive glaciers on Svalbard than this one, but this is one of the more frequently visited ones. I have crossed it several times on snowmobile and sailed close to it on ships. Whenever I see a glacier I can’t help but think about the great Arctic explorers of the past, and the words of Roald Amundsen (first to reach the South Pole) comes to mind:

“Adventure is just bad planning.”

I am way too safety conscious to go on a quest the South Pole, but I do agree with Amundsen. In my travels I do find that not planning everything to the tiniest detail, does allow me to experience my own adventures, however small they might be.

I would like to submit one of my photos of the Nordenskiold Glacier for Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Two different things or the number two. Being a smart chick here (Please do not argue, let me just pretend to be a smart cookie – it’s just easier and less painful that way) – I would like to point out that my picture contains two references to the number 2: It is water in two forms (solid and fluid) – and the chemical formula contains the number 2. Yanno, H2O! So I am giving you two diffrent forms of the same substance – H2O! See? Can you say “Nerd Much?”

I would like to thank Michelle Mac(Southern by design) for thinking of me as a prospective participant in the “3 Days 3 Quotes Challenge”. Michelle not only masters the art of poetry, but also writes really good thought provoking personal pieces. She has also been known to snap some really good photos! So don’t hang around here – go check her out!

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If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I have praised my Sir Nerdalot on many an occasion on my blog. This is not one of those times. Because, what is almost as bad as the Man Flu? Yup, you got it: Handegg-season!

Now, what is so wrong about Handegg-season, and why do I have a problem with it? Oh, let me count the ways (brace yourself):

We are Norwegians. We live in Denmark. Handegg games come on in the middle of the night over here, because what’a-ya-know; we don’t play that stupid sport over here! Thus, we have to wait for the Americans to wake up, have their coffee, and start their game – and by then it is evening and soon night over here in the “Old World”

Who in their right mind would choose the substandard copy, when we can have the real deal in our own part of the world? Why does the good ol’ Nerd not follow Rugby? It’s right over there in the UK! He can get a cheap airplane ticket and go see a game live if he wants too!

Furthermore; there are no motorcycles in Handegg! Yes, you read me correct;

There. Are. No. Motorcycles. In. Handegg!

Shocking, isn’t it? They wear crash helmets, but at no point in the game will there be even one measly little motorcycle!

For the sake of communication, our relationship, love, respect and blah blah blah, I have asked the good Nerd exactly what he likes about Handegg, what is it that gives him pleasure to watch this strange game – to which he gave me a lengthy lecture that made absolutely no sense and bored me to sleep. When I woke up, I asked him to sum his long rant up in one sentence (ten words maximm), or – if possible – into one word. “Tactics”, he said. He must think I’m stupid. This is “tactics” displayed in Handegg: Run a yard – and everyone in a pile. Run another yard – everyone in a pile. Run another yard, and I’m out like a candle in a windstorm. Pfth! Tactics Schmactics!

Now, I could live with all of the above – if the Nerd had his priorities straight. You see – and this is the clincher, really – the other night, the Nerd was all engulfed in a NFL thingy. Yanno, wearing his jersey and being all “handegg-nerdy”. I was craving some attention, as I hadn’t seen the Nerd all friggin day. I tried to strike up a conversation, but he was not really listening to me, and only granted me answers in one syllable grunts. Figures, eh? So I opted for my go-to-move in situations like this; I started to take my clothes off all seductive-like. Yanno, batting eyes, pouty lips, wriggling slowly out of my clothes. I was down to my undies and socks, and still no response from the Nerd. I asked him, quite annoyed, was he unable to see what the heck I was doing?

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Pyramiden is an abandoned Russian coal-mining settlement in Billefjorden, Svalbard – named after the pyramid-shaped mountain adjacent to the town. Unfortunately, on this day back in Sept 2006, the mountain giving the name to the settlement was wrapped in clouds. This abandoned settlement is still generous with photo ops.

In 1910, the Swedes founded the village that they later sold to the Soviet Union in 1927. Owned and run by the Russian mining company Trust Arktikugol, Pyramiden once had over 1000 inhabitants. The coal mine was shut down in 1998 and the last permanent resident left 6 months later.

If you want to visit Pyramiden, it is reachable from Longyearbyen by boat in the summer and by snowmobile in the winter. There are no limitations to visiting Pyramiden, so you can go individually, but I still recommend to go as a part of a guided tour, unless you really know what you are doing – which most tourists don’t.

Remember that you are not allowed to enter any of the buildings even if they are unlocked. If the buildings are left alone and not broken into and vandalized, it is predicted that the major buildings will still be visible 500 years from now, all due to the low rate of decay in this frigid climate.

The Swedish singer, Tove Styrke, was allowed to film scenes for her music video for her single “Borderline”, and is showcasing quite a few interior shots from Pyramiden.

Of course, on Svalbard you will find several claims of things being the world’s northernmost, and in Pyramiden you find a few:

The world’s northernmost grand piano

The world’s northernmost swimming pool.

The world’s northernmost monument to Vladimir Lenin

Since 2007, Trust Arktikugol has been maintaining the ghost town and repurposing it as a tourist attraction, by upgrading infrastructure and renovating the hotel – which they reopened in 2013. Go here for booking: Tulpan Hotel Pyramiden

So how’s that for travel goals, eh? Go to a Russian ghost town in the arctic and spend the night!

Want to see more photos from Svalbard? Check out these previous posts:

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About me / Om meg

Have you ever held your hands out, filled with funky-looking coins - to a cashier, and hoped they would help you out by taking what they need, as payment for your bottle of cold water?

Have you ever just pointed at an item in a menu, that you can’t read, and hoped that you ordered something good?

Have you ever marked out a convenience store as your waypoint, so that on your return you know when to turn right – only to discover that that exact chain has stores on very friggin' corner in the city you so bravely try to navigate?

Have you ever mimed diarrhea in a pharmacy, hoping they would understand you, and give you medicine to stop it?

Have you ever said to yourself, stop making excuses why you can’t – because you know damn well that you can?

“But love is always new. Regardless of whether we love once, twice, or a dozen times in our life, we always face a brand-new situation. Love can consign us to hell or to paradise, but it always takes us somewhere. We simply have to accept it, because it is what nourishes our existence. If we reject it, we die of hunger, because we lack the courage to stretch out a hand and pluck the fruit from the branches of the tree of life. We have to take love where we find it, even if that means hours, days, weeks of disappointment and sadness." ~ Paulo Coelho